


Ramble On

by pumpkin_muffins



Category: That '70s Show
Genre: Bonding, Car Ride, F/M, Helping Out a Friend, Pre-Relationship, flirting kinda, season 4, they just spend time together in a car
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:07:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26814853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pumpkin_muffins/pseuds/pumpkin_muffins
Summary: Jackie needs a ride home from her job at The Cheese Palace one week, and recruits a reluctant Hyde to drive her. A multi-chapter story about Jackie and Hyde bonding, maybe flirting a little, and becoming closer set in season four.
Relationships: Jackie Burkhart/Michael Kelso, Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde
Comments: 51
Kudos: 85





	1. Only Option

**Author's Note:**

> This is a pretty inconsequential story, plot wise. It’s mainly a lot of JH bonding and talking in a car, but I love to read stories without major, life changing plots all the time so I thought I would write one. The title is inspired by the Led Zeppelin song “Ramble On” as Jackie will certainly ramble on and I thought the vibe of the song fit the story. Plus, you can’t have a That 70’s Show fanfic without a little Zeppelin. I hope you enjoy!

Jackie scrunched her nose as she opened the outside door to the basement. It might have been hypocritical of her, considering she smelled like cheddar and swea- _glisten_ , but walking in on a circle meant she was forced to inhale the stale stench of weed and deal with four stoned idiots. This time, however, it was just Eric, Fez, and Michael laughing at an opened can of Reddi Whip in Michael’s hands, no Steven in sight.

“Michael!” Jackie yelled, hoping her voice sounded shrill enough to sober him up a little. He turned around and grinned his goofy, dog like smile at her.

“Hey, Jackie! Want some whipped cream?” He laughed and pointed the nozzle towards her, spraying it crazily while she screamed and ran out of the way.

“MICHAEL!” she screeched, unamused. She glared at him and crossed her arms angrily. “These clothes cost more than this whole house! And you can’t ruin another one of my outfits with food, I still have to pay for everything with my _cheese money_!”

Michael looked at her, an offended expression splayed across his face. “Well, damn, Jackie! You never let me have any fun.”

Eric, who had been silently watching and giggling at the couple fighting gave Michael a wide smile. “Kelso, you _were_ right: never plan how to tell Jackie bad news! It is so much better!” Then he glanced up at Jackie, whose eyes were narrowed towards Michael’s direction. “It’ll be fun to see you go all devil-y on him,” he said.

Jackie kept her glare steady as she felt her face heat up. “What did you do, Michael?” she said, her voice low and strong. Bad news? Did he cheat on her again, with some skanky model at Halverson’s--but decided this time to fess up to his embarrassing, gut wrenching infidelity? Did he finally catch Pamela Burkhart topless, like he’d been trying to do for the past week after learning she was home, and felt so guilty about it that he just had to tell her, giving her a bouquet of fresh red roses and a sparkling diamond necklace? Did he-

“Well, I might have given Casey the van for the week and so now I can’t pick you up from work on Monday like you said. But it’s okay because you can just ask Hyde or Eric,” he said, with little remorse in his voice and a childish shrug.

Jackie felt a wave of relief wash over her, but she still kept her eyes narrowed and her brows furrowed. At least this time, he’d only broken a little promise, one that he would have likely skipped out on anyways to laze on the couch and watch the ending of “The Jetson’s” or a re-run of Scooby-Doo. Still, Jackie was still annoyed. It was already late afternoon, and she needed someone to pick her up tomorrow, and the rest of the work week, at her humiliating job at the mall’s cheese shop.

“Ugh, Michael,” she sighed as she lowered herself onto the tattered couch. “Who else am I going to find to drive me?” She looked at the three boys, who were passing around the can of almost empty whipped cream. Fez seemed like an obvious second choice, as he worshipped the ground she walked on ( _as he should_ , Jackie thought proudly), but he didn’t have a car. The only two in the group who did were Eric and Steven, but Steven wasn’t there.

“Eric,” she slowly asked, stretching out his name and ending it with a classic Burkhart pout and puppy dog eyes in his direction. “Could you pick me up from work?”

Eric’s expression was the most horrified she had ever seen it. His mouth was curved in disgust and his eyes were scrunched up and somehow, by some strange miracle, he resisted her time-tested pout and yelled “NO!” Jackie huffed in his direction. Out of the two of them, Jackie would have been the one suffering, not him. Spending time with twitchy Eric in his old car? He should have been grateful she even asked him, considering the amount of times he complained about her presence and called her the devil.

But with Eric’s refusal, that meant her only option was Steven.

* * *

“Hello? Steven?” She banged on the Fotohut’s door, figuring that if he wasn’t at the Forman’s during a circle, he must be having one at work. “Steven?” she continued, raising her voice. She heard a car drive off in the distance and the faint chirping of a bird nearby, but no noise from inside.

Finally, after a few more seconds of door banging and name calling, Jackie heard a faint shuffle. _Took him long enough_ , she grumped.

“Go away, man! I don’t like loud ghosts when I’m trying to sleep.” Leo, the perpetually stoned owner of the Fotohut, had answered her calls instead. The door stayed shut.

“Leo, I need to talk to Steven! Let me in!” Jackie yelled back at him. Five seconds passed, and Jackie was just about to try crying, when the door knob turned and Leo stood in front of her, wide eyed.

“Oh, it’s you. I told you I wasn’t interested, man, go hit on someone else.” He moved to close the hut’s door, but Jackie wedged herself inside.

“Leo, where’s Steven?” Her tone was a little harsh, but she just wanted to secure her ride and leave-- without having to deal with Leo.

“Who’s Steve, man? The only other person here was Hyde, but he left a while ago. At least, I think that was him.” He squinted and pointed a finger at her lazily. “Hey, are you a ghost, man?”

Jackie sighed in frustration and looked up at Leo exasperatedly. “Leo, can you please change Hyde’s hours for the next week? He has to drive me home from my job because it’s at the mall and Daddy took away the Lincoln because I’m still dating Michael, but it’s winter and it would be too far to walk home everyday and besides, people would see me in my cheese maiden costume and although my legs do look great in it, I cannot have people in my neighborhood seeing me in a work uniform, especially in that color. The only uniform they should be seeing is Michael’s, because he needs to get a job too because I gave up-”

“Okay, okay, man,” Leo said, holding his hands up in front of him. “Stop haunting me.”

Jackie, already frustrated from her confrontation with Michael and Eric, burst with annoyance. Couldn’t anyone help her? Why were they being so difficult? “I am not a ghost!” Jackie yelled, swinging her boot and hitting Leo’s shin. “Do I look pale to you?” she questioned, crashing into his knee again.

Leo winced in pain and said, “Hey, that’s not cool, man. Violence is never the answer.” Then something in his brain seemed to click and he looked at her with more recognition in his eyes. “I thought I told you to stop hitting on me, man! Hey, are you hitting on me by hitting me? Because that’s no way to win someone’s heart.”

Jackie’s eyes widened in frustration as she glared at him for the second time. “Just let him off thirty minutes early, Leo,” she remarked before storming out of the Fotohut.


	2. Interruption

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I know it’s Friday but this story was just so bare and I had the chapter ready to go. I may or may not post on Sunday-- depends on if I start a draft for chapter five this weekend (I have a lot of work to do).  
> I also wanted to thank anyone who left a comment, kudos, or even read this story. I was expecting a total flop, but the positive feedback made me really excited but also a little nervous. I don’t want to let you guys down! I really hope you enjoy it!

Hyde sighed heavily as he slammed the Fotohut door closed. This past week had been grueling. Everyone was back from their holiday vacations and sending in lots of film to be developed--and not the fun kind. Normally the Hut would get two to three customers per day, but nearing the end of the winter vacation, it raised to fifteen or twenty. The worst part was Hyde and Leo barely had time to smoke any of the real, fun kind of film before a customer would knock on the grimy window and demand attention. Him and working just didn’t mix.

He was damn excited about relaxing. He planned on driving home, crashing onto his cot, and sleeping until Forman woke him up for dinner. It was nice having a routine and being fed a home cooked dinner at the end of the day. Hyde had never thought his life could turn out like this. His ma was certainly never there for him, never cooking him meatloaf or giving him a warm bed.

The air was biting when he walked outside. He felt as if his face was drying then peeling off, flake by flake. _Wisconsin winters bite_ , he brooded. He figured if he spent any more time outside he might actually freeze his ‘nads off, so he rushed to his car.

He pulled open the El Camino’s door and stooped in, hearing footsteps running towards the Fotohut. _Another frickin’ customer_ , he thought irritatedly. He shook his head and sped away. There was no way he would be dealing with them.

* * *

The drive to the Forman’s was pleasant. The sky was clear, his car was warm, and the peaceful silence was broken only by the faint sounds of “Since I’ve Been Loving You.” Hyde relaxed into the back of his seat. This was as close to happiness as he had felt in a long time.

“All right, everybody, next up is ‘Connection-’” Hyde switched the radio off as Donna’s voice filled his car. People talking, even if it was a friend, was too abrasive. His car went back to the nothingness he relished.

As he drove, he made a mental checklist of all of his friends' whereabouts: Donna, work; Forman, at the grocery store with his mom; Kelso, babysitting his younger siblings; Fez, at Kelso's house; Jackie, work. He smiled faintly. The basement should be empty.

Soon, Hyde arrived at the house and parked his car along the curb. He trudged across the driveway to the basement steps, cursing the snow and cold the whole way. He stomped into the basement and was relieved to find that he was right and no one was there. His nice peace could continue a little longer.

Hyde reached his dingy room. It was small and badly insulated, but it was his. He removed his boots and coat before laying down on his cot. The silence in the room, the warm blanket, and his tired body helped relax him to sleep.

* * *

“Steven!” a piercing voice called. He jerked awake and looked around blurrily. What was going on? Was some one there to murder him in his sleep with their shrill voice?

As his vision cleared, he saw Jackie standing at the end of his cot. She still wore her coat and matching furry gloves, and she was smiling widely at Hyde. She reminded him of the witch that tried to eat Hansel and Gretel.

“Jackie, what the hell?” he said angrily. That chick has no boundaries, Hyde thought as he glared at the intruder. She was interrupting his quiet time, in his room, and smiling about it.

“Oh, I’m so glad you’re awake! I looked everywhere for you! You have to drive me home from work tomorrow and the rest of the week.”

“What? Why? Jackie, no, get out of my room!” She couldn’t be serious. Having him drive her from work… without even asking? He wouldn’t have said yes even if she did, but she was being so freakin’ entitled.

She flashed him another smile and sat down gingerly on his cot instead. “Don’t worry, Steven, I already talked to that nasty hippie Leo and he agreed to let you off thirty minutes early. And this isn’t a room, it’s a closet.”

“Get off my bed!” he yelled and jumped out of it. Being in a bed with Jackie, even if they were fully clothed and sitting far away from each other, was just wrong. “And I’m not driving you anywhere, ever, for any reason so get out of my room!”

Jackie glared at him as she stood up, loudly said, “I told you this was a closet, Steven!” and stomped out.

Hyde made sure to slam and lock his door, but he figured Jackie was waiting out there, sitting on the basement couch with her arms crossed and lip pouted. He couldn’t believe her. Demanding him to drive her around, like some kind of personal chauffeur. He might’ve said yes if she had asked him before, but now there was no way he would do it. She could sulk about it all she wanted.

And that was her choice, so he climbed back into his cot. So what if he felt guilty for yelling at her? So what if he was the one who made her upset? So what if he could easily fix it? "Damnit!” Hyde grumbled as he sat back up again. Jackie was going to be the death of him.

* * *

As he predicted, Jackie was moping on the worn down basement couch. Hyde forced a scowl when he saw Jackie look back and smile at his entrance.

“Steven!” she gushed, sitting up straighter.

“Man, you gotta stop saying my name before I get a headache,” Hyde grimaced as he sat down in his dirty white chair. Then he stared at her and crossed his arms. He did his part; he was there. He sure as hell wasn’t going to make this easy for her.

“Um, okay,” Jackie said hesitantly after a few moments. “Well, now that I have that boring job at the cheese shop, I need a ride home. Or here,” she added quickly, remembering how much farther away her house was from work. “But stupid Michael gave Casey his van and selfish Eric-” Hyde raised a brow at this”-said no. So, you were the only one left.”

“As flattering as that little story was, Jackie, no. I will not drive you.” Her lips widened in surprise and Hyde shifted his gaze to them for a few seconds before smirking at her. She was so fun to rile up.

“Oh, Steven, please? I promise I’ll be good company and I already told Leo you would do it. Please? It’ll be fun! Yeah, we’ll get to talk and spend time together, just the two of us. We could listen to music and sing along!”

Hyde looked disgustedly at Jackie. If she was going to sing in his car then she was going to have to deal with a lot bigger problems than getting a ride.

“Okay, no singing. But if you don’t drive me, Steven, I’ll have to walk by myself, all alone, at night, in the cold.” She hugged herself and scrunched down to appear smaller.

Hyde groaned internally. He hated how right she was. It was almost below freezing and it was dangerous for a girl like her to be walking all alone, especially in that uniform, which showed a lot of leg-- not that Hyde noticed. But his quiet time, his relaxation was at stake… and she had decided he would do it for him before even asking him.

He stood up and pointed accusatively at her. “You can’t just go around telling people to do stuff for you. Especially me, I’m not your freakin’ butler!”

Jackie frowned up at him, eyebrows raised, as if he were a child. “I know that, Steven. I just thought that since I have work and you have work, and no one else can drive me… wait, does that mean you’ll do it?” Another smile graced her face and Hyde could swear her eyes were shining.

“NO,” he said unconvincingly. Driving Jackie around was the last thing he wanted to do. Yet, he still felt some sort of responsibility. She was relying on him to get home safely.

She looked at him and pouted. “Please, Steven? I promise it’ll only be this week.”

That was what broke him. “Fine,” he muttered, standing still and trying to act tougher than he was being now.

Jackie seemed to not get the memo. She squealed and rushed off the couch, giving him a tight hug. She noticed the soft material of his well worn shirt and his strong stature, making her feel warm and safe. He always was the best to hug, even if he never reciprocated. She could have stayed there forever if Hyde hadn’t yelled, “Get off me before I change my mind!”

She gave him a small smile. “Thank you, Steven. Really.” Jackie stepped away and started up the kitchen stairs and, despite his best interest, Hyde called after her, “Wait, where are you going?”

“Oh, Mr. Forman’s gonna drive me home tonight. I told him about me trying to convince you to give me a ride this week and he laughed and said if I pulled it off he’d drive me home himself.” She waved and cheerily said, “Bye, Steven! See you tomorrow at 5:15!”

Hyde shook his head as he sank into his chair. What had he gotten himself into?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked this. Hyde’s voice was a struggle for me. I hope I was able to effectively show that they have that “connection,” even if they don’t realize it in the chapter (he gave up his quiet time for her!) 
> 
> Side note, can you imagine Kelso babysitting little Kelso’s? And with Fez? It would be a disaster. I do love the idea of Eric grocery shopping with Kitty, though. I imagine he would rant about all his problems and she would lecture him about how he and her other babies shouldn’t be drinking processed sugars like soda but should be eating her homemade cookies instead (this would be so fun to write lol). 
> 
> Also I know winter breaks usually don’t last into a whole week in January for an American public school (I’ve suffered some tiring January 2nds) but it fits better for the story. Plus this is Point Place, Wisconsin, where time is but an illusion. And I don’t want to disappoint anyone, so just a little reminder that J & H won’t, like, be in love or best friends at the end of this. They will be closer to each other though.


	3. So Much Damn Energy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first car ride! Jackie is excited and talkative, and Hyde is not in the mood for her ramblings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the nice comments, kudos, and for just reading my story! I was excited to post it just for me, but the fact that others are enjoying it just makes my day. I hope you enjoy the first car ride!

Hyde shut and locked the Hut’s window, smirking at the crestfallen face of a customer who had just pulled up. He shook his head and sarcastically waved as the car drove off.

Getting ready to leave, he swiped a five dollar bill from the cash register and shoved on his coat. It was a little loose from excess wear and the zipper was starting to rust, but it was warm enough.

Leo had been gone since lunch, when he left to go get a pizza from The Hub. Hyde wasn’t worried though; Leo disappeared a lot. But now that he had to leave work early to go pick up _Princess Jackie_ on time, he had to close up the Fotohut early, too.

Checking his watch, he saw that he had eight minutes to drive to the mall and pick up Jackie as her shift ended-- just enough travel time. As much as he hated giving her credit on the manipulative scheme, she did plan it out well.

Hyde pulled his car out and started driving. The radio softly played “Sympathy for the Devil.” “That’s apt,” he sourly grumbled.

* * *

Jackie smiled as she saw the El Camino crunch over a sheet of ice and pull up beside her. Hyde, though he would profusely deny it, was quite punctual. Michael was always late, mentioning a neighbor’s new puppy or an ice cream truck as an excuse. Jackie knew she loved him, but he could really annoy her sometimes.

“Jackie,” Hyde called, his window rolled down.“Stop smiling and get in the car before I drive away and leave you here.”

He was wearing his sunglasses even though it was winter, which Jackie would never understand. Sunglasses were something to be worn in summer--big black Prada frames that matched a flattering bikini and fancy pink drink. Not in gray January, with worn out band tees and dirty jeans. Plus, ignoring all the fashion mishaps, he was covering his beautiful blue eyes. _Steven isn’t beautiful_ , Jackie swiftly chided herself as she rushed to the passenger door.

“Steven,” she said as she slid into the car, “have you--eww, what’s that noise?” She leaned over and switched off the radio, not noticing Hyde’s fuming look. “Where was I? Oh, have you ever considered wearing sweaters? I think you would look great in a dark blue or a gray or a _not ugly_ article of clothing. You know, now that I work at the mall, I can go shopping anytime without having to get a ride from someone, so I can go shopping for you! And me. But-”

“Jackie, stop talking,” Hyde grunted as he pulled away. He was annoyed about her handling of his car and his radio, but he wasn’t in the mood to argue with her about it.

She huffed and crossed her arms, but she conceded. For forty seconds.

“Ugh, that doesn’t seem fair, Steven. I had to spend all day being quiet and listening to people, I deserve to talk! And speaking of the mall, I saw the cutest mauve coat at Gimbels and it would totally match with this sweater I have, the dark one with the stripes. It's only two colors, which is good because otherwise it would be too much, especially when I consider the right skirt to wear.” Jackie paused, waiting for him to respond.

Hyde glanced to his right and saw her staring up expectantly at him. Her eyes were wide but he could see faint specks of mascara on her eyelids from her day at work. He knew she would freak if he told her that, but it would probably be more embarrassing for him that he noticed. He just rolled his eyes and looked back on the road.

He missed his quiet. There was still time to push Jackie out the car door and slam on the gas pedal, but he felt there would be some heavy consequences to pay for that. If she would just shut up and leave him alone, then maybe he could pretend she wasn’t there. She was just a silent package that would leave him alone.

“Look, Jackie, I’m doing you a favor, picking ya up from work. I don’t have to do this. I don’t _want_ to do this, but for some reason I am. So just quit your yappin’.” He made a right turn and took a look at her again. She was annoying alright, with her ramblings and that disco crap she’d wanna play, and her perfume that filled the air, that smelled a little cheese-y but not enough that it covered the smell of the sweet jasmine-- Hyde stopped himself abruptly and looked to the road.

Jackie bit her lip in thought. He was right, he didn’t have to be doing this. But he was. She owed him some sort of compromise. “Okay, fine, I won’t talk about my clothes anymore. But can I at least tell you about my day? Michael never pays attention and Fez just looks at my boobs and Donna and Eric laugh at me.”

Hyde raised an eyebrow as he answered, “And who’s to say I won’t do all three?”

Jackie smacked his arm and groaned, “Steven!” but there was a small smile on her face. At least he listened to her complain. Michael wouldn’t have even acknowledged it.

“Okay, so today we got a shipment of cured sausage from this gross guy named Phil who was super old and sweaty. Sausage is so fattening, it's only smelly old ladies who ever buy it! And old men are so ugly, I hope Michael never gets wrinkles. God, wrinkles! I’ll never get wrinkles, though, because I use Cosmo’s most expensive recommended face cream. And I had to give out cheese in front of the store again, which is so embarrassing because sometimes the girls from my cheer team come. It’s humiliating! But anyway, then Todd, you know, my manager? Actually, he kind of looks like you, Steven. He’s a little shorter and skinnier, but you both have these wonderfully expressive blue eyes-”

“Shut up about my eyes!” Hyde interrupted, a slight redness tinting his face.

Jackie shook her head slightly and looked out the car window. Hyde was clearly not in the mood to be a cooperative listener. But he didn't have to be so rude. _Isn't he always_? she wondered. _If he doesn't want to hear me talk, I won't say anything_. Jackie's mouth stayed tightly shut, and she could feel her lips stick together slightly from resting statically.

Hyde started to feel awkward in Jackie's silence. Normally it was a miracle if she shut up for a few seconds, but with her face set in a defensive, bitchy expression, he knew there would be hell to pay when she spoke again. "Okay, Jackie--"

"No, no, Steven. You don't want me to talk, I won't talk. I know how to not talk," she said with false sincerity.He knew what she was trying to do. And he really didn't want to have to deal with any more manipulation. He was going to have to compromise if he wanted to get through this week alive.

"You can talk about your day if you get to the point and don't expect me to respond," Hyde said begrudgingly. He saw Jackie's face light up and she opened her mouth wide before he quickly added, "Tomorrow."

Jackie frowned, but decided to go along with it. At least she could talk all she wanted tomorrow.

* * *

After a few peaceful minutes of silence, save for the tacky sounds of Hyde’s hands on the steering wheel and Jackie’s faint sighs, they reached the Forman’s brightly lit home. Hyde pulled the stick shift to park and eased the car next to the curb.

“Ooh, we’re here! I can talk now! Oh, I can’t wait to tell Donna about that new coat! And Fez, he always likes to listen to girl talk. C’mon, Steven!” she squealed as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

Hyde shook his head as he opened his car door- he never used his seatbelt, it was too much of a square thing to do. _Jackie has so much energy_ , he thought as he saw her skip across the driveway and down the basement steps. “Steven!” she called in a sing-songy voice. _So much damn energy._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost named this chapter Blue Jasmine and I thought the name was pretty so I wanted you guys to hear it somewhere haha. I tried my best to get into Hyde’s headspace--annoyed, but he does feel responsibility over Jackie--so I hope that came through. Although I'm so sorry about the blushing line. I rewrote it five times and this seemed the most Hyde (they were all very not Hyde) but I thought it was important to add.
> 
> On an unrelated note, did anyone else think that Hyde started dressing better in season 5? I love the band tees, but season four Hyde fashion had some other weird shirts.
> 
> Well, as always, thanks for reading! And next week is probably my favorite chapter because it was so fun to write and it should be longer than the previous chapters, so look out for that soon!


	4. Breaking Us Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday! I’ve been excited to post this chapter-- their argument was the first thing I wrote for Ramble On! And it’s definitely my favorite chapter so far, so I'm really curious (and a little nervous) to see what you guys think.

The air outside raised goosebumps on Jackie’s arms and her ears had lost feeling seconds ago. She hopped on her numbed legs, trying to warm herself as she stood outside the mall waiting for Hyde. 

Todd, her manager, had let her out ten minutes early in hopes of cajoling her into seeing a movie with him. Even if she wasn’t getting picked up by Steven, she would never have said yes to him. Jackie managed eight minutes of Todd’s whiney voice and cheese references before he drove her crazy and she escaped outside. Into the Wisconsin winter. 

“Steven, where are you?” she murmured, rubbing her hands up her arms. It wasn’t his fault, she knew, but she cursed him nonetheless in her head for not arriving sooner. She could only stand to be outside for so much longer. 

While futilely attempting to warm up, Jackie thought she heard the loud sounds of a car driving up. She turned around (although her neck was stiff from the cold) and sighed a cloud of relief when Steven’s car pulled up. 

Jackie ran as quickly as she could, with her frozen feet in heels through the snow, and leaped into the car. It was warm, and that was all she cared about. 

Hyde stared at her for a few seconds. She was sitting, curled up in his car, with a faraway look on her face. “Uh… Jackie?” he asked. He wasn’t sure if she was present enough to hear him. 

“Y-yeah?” she looked over and he could see her teeth chattering slightly. He turned up the heat. 

“Jackie, how long were you standing outside? It’s almost zero degrees today.”

Jackie shook her head, annoyed. “Too long. Todd kept asking me to go to a movie so I just left to go stand outside and avoid him. It’s so, _so_ cold out there, but Todd’s worse.” 

Hyde raised a brow. “So he’s an asshole?” 

Jackie smiled up at him, amused. “Yeah.” 

He shook his head and started up the car. As he pulled away from the mall, Jackie said, “Oh, actually, Steven, can you drive me to my house today?”

Hyde sighed but nodded. Today would be a longer drive.

* * *

Once they left the mall parking lot, Jackie gasped loudly and turned to Hyde. “Steven! You told me I could talk as much as I want today!” 

Hyde turned and gave her a pointed look. “No, I didn’t. I said you could talk about your day.” 

“Oh, it’s the same thing,” Jackie happily replied as she cozied into her seat. “Today was awful, Steven, the whole mall was freezing because it’s cold out and they’re cheap. I hate working at a cheap place! I’m Jackie Burkhart, I deserve proper insulation and heating!” 

Hyde grunted in response. He couldn’t believe he would have to suffer through this the whole drive. 

“There was this really rude lady today, too. She was some fat, ugly mom, and she kept making comments about my dad while she ate a whole block’s worth of smelly gouda samples. And then, to make matters worse, she said I inherited his looks! As handsome as Daddy is, I don’t look like a middle-aged businessman!” 

Hyde did feel a little bad that some bitch was ragging on her at work. At the same time, her talking was already starting to annoy him. He knew he promised her yesterday, but he just couldn’t get through the ride like this. “How’s about we listen to music instead?” 

“But I was going to talk about my day,” Jackie pouted. 

“Music, Jackie,” he said, a little sternly. 

She gasped. “Oh, you’re letting _me_ pick the music? Hmm, normally I’d say ABBA, but I’m feeling more like a wintery song, like something by Peter Frampton!” 

Hyde groaned. There would be no way he could get through a car ride with Jackie’s music taste. “Jackie, I didn’t say you get to pick.” 

“Fine, we’ll compromise.” She had no plans for compromising, but Steven didn’t need to know that. She switched on the radio and the groovy sounds of “Baby Come Back” started playing. 

“Ew, no,” Jackie said, switching it before any singing could start. She nixed “Come Sail Away,” “Blue Bayou,” and “Peg,” before stopping on “How Deep Is Your Love.”

“I love this song,” she sighed. She paused a moment, staring at Hyde with a small smile as she listened to the music. His face was scrunched up, and his sunglasses were off so she could see his eyes. She could tell he hated the song, although she was enjoying it immensely. Jackie turned away from him as they started to sing, " _And you may not think I care for you, when you know deep inside that I really do_." 

Hyde felt as if he were being tortured. The synth beats, the gentle chords, the soft singing... he was close to dry heaving. When the song started slowing down to “da-da-da’s,” he had to shut it off. 

“Jackie, what the hell was that?” He gestured at the car’s radio. “That crap--no, it’s worse than crap! It can’t even be called crap! How do you listen to that?”

Jackie glared at him. “Steven, how could you say that? That’s the Bee Gees, and it’s beautiful! They’re singing about _love_! And who says your music taste is good? ABBA and The Captain and Tenille are so much better than Lep Zeppelin, or whatever you listen to!” 

“It’s _Led_ Zeppelin,” Hyde enunciated. “And it is, Jackie.” He flipped the radio on to his favorite station, and “Black Dog” rang throughout the car, near the end of the song. “How can you tell me your stupid girly song is better than Page’s riff?”

Jackie rolled her eyes and switched back to the Bee Gees. “ _Keep me warm in your love, then you softly leave_ ,” she sang, off-key, with the music. 

Hyde glared at her. She had not only disrespected one of the greatest songs in the history of music, but she was singing along to disco in his car. “Damnit, Jackie!” he exclaimed. 

“ _Breaking us down,_ ” she sang, pointing at him. “ _When they all should let us be_.” 

“It’s my car, I get to choose the music!” He shook his head and flipped back to his radio station. A quieter song, “Us and Them,” was playing. “This is a good song, Jackie,” he said, in a less accusatory, but still annoyed, tone. 

“Why are you always so grumpy, Steven?” she grumbled, arms crossed across her chest. “I mean, if someone had to describe you, angry would be in their top ten descriptors. And trust me, that’s not a word you want, not ‘beautiful’ or doll-like’ or ‘charming,’ like me.” 

Hyde shifted his gaze off the road to Jackie for a second. She was fiddling with the hem of her cheese maiden skirt and rolling her lips together, as if in thought, but her eyes were still hard with frustration. Instead of challenging her like he was going to, he looked back to the road and stayed silent. 

The silence wasn’t uncomfortable. Despite the tension from their earlier spout, Jackie and Hyde both sat calmly in the car, mulling over the same question: why was Hyde always so angry? Jackie knew that he had had a hard life, but she also knew that he had more of a family, more love than she did. 

She was popular, but the cheerleaders she hung out with weren’t her friends. They were all gossipy bitches-- and Jackie could be too, but it still hurt that no one really cared about her in her clique or ever tried to see beyond that. Her parents were never around much, and when they were it was mostly for appearances. Her father probably wouldn’t have known about Michael if he hadn’t been caught loudly asking her to “do it” one of the few times her father was home. But Hyde had the Formans, who loved and supported him. And he had the basement gang. Jackie spent most of her time there, but she always felt as if she was an exchangeable addition, not fully her own person. Steven was… well, the basement wouldn’t be the basement without him. 

Finally, after a few minutes of quiet, Hyde said gruffly, “Happiness is just an illusion. The government wants people to think they’re happy so they can be easily manipulated. Me bein’ ‘grumpy’, that’s the only way to rebel against the Man. I won’t give in to their manipulation-- and neither should you!” 

Jackie leaned her head against her seat and shook her head. “God, Steven, that doesn’t even make sense! Why are you always trying to protect yourself? It was just a simple question, but if you don’t think that I’m _worthy_ enough to hear your answer then fine. _And_ , wouldn’t the government have an easier time controlling people if they were all miserable like you?” She bit her lip again ( _she does that a lot when she’s thinking,_ Hyde noted) and stared straight ahead. 

After a while, it was unnerving. Jackie was clearly upset and, as much as he hated to admit it, Hyde didn’t like seeing her like this. Especially since he was the one who caused it. 

“Jackie,” he said, softer. “I… it’s just… my life is crappy, okay? It has been since I was a kid with Bud and Edna and it will be when I’m pumping gas or in prison. Don’t… don’t really have any chance of a good future.” He cleared his throat and this time, it was he who looked straight ahead. Emotional honesty was not something he liked to divulge in regularly. Unlike his stash. He could really frickin’ use a circle right now. 

Jackie’s anger softened at his words. She felt her heart ache at how downhearted he was. Did he really think that his future was awful? Was he just living his life with friends and family until the day something bad happened and it all ended? _Oh, poor thing,_ she thought sadly as she looked at him. _But he can’t think like that. There’s no way I--any of us would let his life get to that point._

Jackie gently reached out and touched his forearm. He was surprised at the touch and he saw Jackie give him a kind smile. “Steven, your life is not ‘crappy.’ You have Mrs. and Mr. Forman and they adore you. Mr. Forman, who always complains about us, has you living with him! You’re definitely his favorite, besides me. And there’s Eric, who I know you love even if you wouldn’t ever say it--which I don’t blame you for.” Hyde gave her a look and she just nodded sadly, as if to say, _it’s true._

“Donna, too, and she’s smart because of all those feminist books she reads. She’d make you be some rock journalist with her before you’d have to pump gas. And Michael and Fez always want to do stupid, dangerous things with you even though you just make them more dangerous. Don’t you like seeing your friends get hurt?” 

Hyde’s eyes glazed over, thinking about Kelso getting hit in the face. “Yeah,” he muttered, still imaging it. 

“I’m not done, Steven,” Jackie said and she lightly poked his arm. “You have Leo, who as much as he annoys me, really, really cares about you. And, of course, you have me. The most beautiful, popular girl in Point Place.” She posed and grinned at him, and he couldn’t help but faintly smile back. She was beautiful. “Your life isn’t ‘crap,’ okay, Steven? You have so many people who make sure it isn’t.” 

His driving had slowed down during her speech, and it was slow enough that he could look over at her and with his full attention. “I, uh,” he stuttered, wanting to thank her but not wanting to sound like Forman. “Uh, you know.” She raised her eyebrows. She had given him a speech! About how loved he was! She deserved a gold medal. “Okay, fine. Uh, thanks.” He turned back to the road and sped up just a little, just reaching her house. 

“You’re welcome, Steven,” she said as they pulled into her driveway. Though it was dark out, she could see her parents’ cars weren’t there-- _typical_ , she thought bitterly. 

Hyde nodded as he stopped the car and waited for her to get out. She unlocked her door but turned back to him. “I promise I won’t change the radio if you genuinely smile tomorrow.” 

Hyde looked at her blankly. She wanted him to _smile_? He was about to say no, no avoided argument was worth a genuinely happy expression on his face. But he saw Jackie’s hopeful eyes and her upturned lips and her want for him to just know he was loved. And he found himself agreeing. 

Jackie leaned over and lightly kissed his cheek, feeling warm and fuzzy and fluttery at the same time. “Thank you,” she whispered and slipped out of the car. 

* * *

Hyde felt her soft lips press against his cheek, he felt his heart racing as he realized that she was kissing him, he felt a small coldness when he saw her walk towards her big house. But most of all, he felt better.

As he drove back to the basement, he was surprised (and a little bit angry) that Jackie and her pep talks and little cheek kisses could make him feel things, especially things close to _happiness_ , but he wasn’t going to think too much of it. He was sure Jackie had just become a sympathetic person over the past day, and that’s why she understood him so well, why she took the time to prove him wrong. And the fact that he hadn’t been getting any action in a few months and that, well, she _was_ hot, that’s what sent those little flutters at her kiss. 

But Hyde couldn’t come up with a plausible explanation for the tiny smile that graced his face as he walked into the basement that evening or his grin at Mrs. Forman’s humming as she plated his dinner. He was just… less pissed off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a little weird lol but they needed a turning point. They definitely are more physically comfortable with each other in season four, so I think a cheek kiss in this moment makes sense. And Hyde might be admitting his happiness a little too easily, but I enjoy having Hyde realize (at least some) of his emotions. I almost named this chapter Happy Hyde just to spite his usual denial of feelings :) 
> 
> Also, I did some research on the music charts in January 1978 to see what would likely be on the radio so it’s all accurate information! And I think they both have amazing taste, they’re just too stubborn (and listening to “Us and Them” is great during the “grumpy” part if you like to listen to music while you read).
> 
> I hope you guys are enjoying the story! We’re officially more than halfway through now! Side note: next week's chapter might be a few days late and I'm so sorry if it is. It's much longer and has some other characters so I have to spend more time writing and a lot more time editing to make sure the voices sound correct. See you next week (at some point)!


	5. Coma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A third car ride for Jackie and Hyde. The next day, the whole gang goes to see a movie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday! This week's chapter is longer than the others, but it's pretty cheese-y (I say this both to make the bad pun and to warn you that it is definitely not ingenious writing haha). 
> 
> Thank you to anyone who has left a comment or kudos! Writing this story has been a huge source of joy for me, and it really means a lot that people have appreciated it. I hope you enjoy this (longer) chapter!

“I hate cheese!” Jackie yelled as she slammed the car door. She was clutching a crumpled plastic bag full of softening samples and two uneven cheese wedges. 

Hyde looked over at her. He was starting to learn that all it took for her to yap on about her day was a glance on his part.

“Some old bitch knocked over the cheese display and _I_ had to clean it all up! I had to crawl on the ground--it was so gross! And then Todd gave me all this cheese to take home. What am I supposed to do with all of this? I can’t eat cheese, it’s fattening!” She angrily threw the bag down next to her on the seat. 

She was complaining about cheese so passionately that, as much as he hated it, Hyde was finding her anger more funny than annoying. And the way she tossed that bag and glared at it like it was all that was wrong in the world was like a cute little kid. Without realizing, a thin smile spread across his face as he looked down at her. 

Unfortunately for him, Jackie _did_ realize it. “You smiled, Steven!” she exclaimed and grabbed his arm in excitement. She quickly forgot her cheese anger. 

Hyde cleared his face of expression in a matter of seconds, but the damage was done. “No, I didn’t,” he said unconvincingly. 

“Steven, just admit you smiled at me. Otherwise, I’ll have to pester you to do it again. You promised!” 

Hyde rolled his eyes. He had promised her. It was this or having to smile again… “Fine.” 

Jackie released his arm and gave him her own smile. “Good. Well, now that you’ve upheld your end of the deal I guess I have to listen to whatever nasty music you chose.” 

Hyde nodded his head. Normally, if he was alone in his car, he would turn to his favorite station: a mix of Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, Jethro Tull, Kiss. It felt wrong, though, to choose music he knew Jackie hated. With a sigh at how soft he was becoming, he tuned to a much calmer radio station. Still rock, but full of the gentler songs of Pink Floyd, the Beatles, and the Doors, among others. 

“What’s this?” Jackie asked--curiously, not disgustedly. 

“Pink Floyd,” Hyde responded. He was surprised at her sincerity. “‘Fearless.’” 

“Huh.” She gave him a look. “I wouldn’t think you’d listen to this. It’s so… nice?” 

Hyde raised a brow at her. “As opposed to?” 

“I don’t know, your heavy loud music. But this is something I could listen to. I don’t love it,” she clarified quickly. “But it’s okay.” 

“Okay,” Hyde said, and they lapsed into a peaceful silence.

* * *

“What the fuck,” Hyde muttered as he turned the corner. Normally, the intersection was empty and people ignored the stop sign shoved into the ground. But today of all days, a day where Hyde was stuck in a car with Jackie, there was a line of at least ten cars that were slowed down from the snow. 

“I didn’t even know that many people lived here,” Jackie remarked as she peered out the passenger window. “Why don’t they all just move?” 

“It’s traffic, Jackie,” Hyde grumbled. He sat with his hands on the wheel staring straight ahead as if waiting to move... but nothing was moving. They were stuck. 

“Well, now that we’re stuck in this car together, why don’t we play a game? Ooh, what about Truth or Dare?” She turned to face him. “Truth or dare, Steven? I hope you pick truth, I have a good question.” She was going to ask him if he minded her calling him ‘Steven.’ Only she and Mr. and Mrs. Forman called him that. Jackie was honored, but a little confused.

Hyde groaned, out loud. There was no way he would play any game, and certainly not some chick game like Truth or Dare. Why couldn’t they go back to their silence like before? “I’m not doing that. Why don’t we just… not talk?”

Jackie scrunched up her nose. “No, Steven, why would I do that? But, since you’ve been so generous and smiled at me today--” Hyde hated being reminded “--I’ll talk about something you like. Um… oh! There’s this movie I really want to see, it’s like a thriller drama, which I love. It’s called _Coma_ and Michael Douglas is in it, and he always has great hair!”

Hyde raised an eyebrow. She liked thriller movies? There really was more to her than he thought. 

“So,” Jackie said eagerly. “Do you want to go see it tomorrow?” 

He gave her a confused look. “Uh… isn’t it your day off? Don’t you want to spend it bossin’ around Kelso?” 

Jackie thought about the last time she’d been on a date with just Michael, without any of their friends hanging around. It had been weeks ago, and they were supposed to dine out at the Vineyard-- but Michael was late and they lost their reservation. She spent the whole night annoyed at him when they had eaten greasy french fries and cheeseburgers at The Hub instead. Afterwards, he drove away from her house yelling out his van about how good girlfriends did it even when they were mad at him. “No, not really. Michael gets on my nerves a lot,” she answered. 

Hyde snorted at this. “So you wanna spend it with me? We’ve been spending every day in a car together.” 

“But that’s only like a five minute drive, Steven-”

“Feels longer.” 

“And haven’t you had fun this past week?” Jackie asked him, ignoring his interruption. “We talk, we _smile_ , we admire my glossy hair…” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and grinned. 

“Yeah, glossy from grease,” Hyde laughed.

She smacked his arm, harshly. “Steven!” But her demeanor changed quickly and she spoke in a softer tone. “Wait, have you seriously hated spending time with me? I thought we were spending time together as _friends_.” 

Hyde sighed. This conversation, again? He could swear it happened every year. “Jackie, are we really friends? We spend half the time burning or complaining about each other.”

“Yes, Steven, we are!” Jackie shot back. “And someday you’ll admit it. Besides, complaining and burning each other is exactly what you do with everyone else.” 

“Jackie,” he said resolutely. “I will never say that we are friends.” 

Jackie’s eyes widened. “But does that mean we are? You just won’t say it out loud?”

Hyde paused for a minute. Were they friends? She had bought him new boots that one time, and he'd been driving her home from work this past week--somewhat voluntarily. They'd know each other for years at this point, too, spending the majority of those days together in the group. So he stayed silent, to neither confirm nor deny her question. Maybe he could let her have it, just this once. 

Jackie’s mouth widened into a bright smile and she squealed. “Oh, Steven, I knew it! And don’t worry, I can wear you down until you admit to it, I’ve got plenty of time."

“You really set up those traps, don’t you,” Hyde said exasperatedly. 

“Yep. I’m really good at that.” Jackie smiled a little.”It’s how I get Michael to buy me flowers every other Thursday.” 

“Doesn’t he use _your_ money, Jackie?”

“Yes, but I still get flowers!” She shook her head as if it were obvious. “So, are we going to see the movie?” 

Hyde raised his eyebrows in amazement. “Is that where this conversation started?” 

“Yeah, I also have a talent for talking.” 

“That I knew.” 

She prodded his arm with one finger. “So? _Coma_?”

“That’s cool.” He’d admitted they were friends, he’d earned the right to mess with her a little. 

“Steven!” 

Hyde sighed and looked at her. One movie couldn't hurt. “Fine. But we’re goin’ with everyone because being in public with just you sounds scarier than any thriller movie.”

Jackie nodded. “It’ll be fun!”

* * *

“Okay, everybody ready?” Donna stood up from her spot next to Eric on the couch and spoke to the room. Jackie had insisted they all go see _Coma_ with her, and the gang had to leave soon if they wanted to make it to the movie on time. 

They were all slouched in their seats, looking comfortable and clearly not ready to go. Fez was in the middle of happily licking a grape lollipop on the lawn chair, which was a change from his usual Sugar Daddy. Jackie had an even bigger change, however: she was sitting on the couch armrest in between Hyde and Donna. Normally she would sit on the armrest next to Kelso, and Donna had given her a quizzical look when her seating changed. Jackie had either missed it or ignored it because she received no explanation. 

Jackie sprung up from her seat and stood next to Donna. “Yes! Let’s go!” She leaned over the couch and shoved Kelso, rather harshly, on his shoulder. “C’mon, Michael, you have to buy me popcorn at the movies.” 

Kelso pouted up at her. “But I don’t wanna,” he whined. “I don’t like those movies with thinking, Jackie, you know that. I’ll just stay here and finish watching _Gilligan’s Island_ with Fez and Eric and Hyde. You go with Donna.” He turned his attention back to the TV. 

“Kelso, I’m not going alone with just Jackie!” Donna swiped the back of Kelso’s head. He rubbed it in pain. “She’s your girlfriend, and the rest of you guys better come, too.” 

Jackie glared at Kelso. He wasn’t listening to her, _again_. What did she have to do to get her boyfriend to obey her? 

Hyde could see Jackie's arms crossed tightly and her eyes narrowed--she was clearly frustrated. Normally her attempts at dominating Kelso seemed bossy to him, but Kelso was being a tool; all she wanted was to go see a movie with her friends. “Kelso, she’s your girlfriend. You’re required to do boring stuff you don’t wanna do with her.” Jackie gave Hyde a grateful smile. It was nice to know that he was on her side. 

“Uh!” Kelso yelled. Then he shook his head and directed his attention towards Hyde. “That’s not true, Hyde. The only thing a boyfriend is required to do is _it_.”

“Michael!” Jackie stomped her foot and crossed her arms. 

“Fine!” Kelso stood up clumsily, swaying the whole couch. 

Hyde stood up too and started towards the door. “We taking the Cruiser, Forman?” 

“Yeah, I guess,” Eric said. He breathed out a deep sigh before getting up and following the group out the door. “Kelso, you and Jackie are _definitely_ sitting in the back today.” 

“Why?” Kelso whined. 

“Because you’re just going to argue the whole way there,” Donna answered. She pulled open the Vista Cruiser door and slid in, Eric and Hyde sitting on either side of her. Directly behind him was Jackie--which was strange, considering she normally sat behind the driver seat. Donna made a mental note about Jackie and Hyde; they seemed to be growing closer recently. 

Eric started the car, and Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion” played through the radio. After a few seconds of listening in silence, everyone turned to face Jackie, shock clear on their faces. 

“What?” she questioned. “Normally I love it when I have your attention, but we’re gonna be late to the movie!” 

“That’s it?” Eric curved his eyebrows. “No complaining about how we should turn off our ‘bad music’ to listen to disco or talking about your hair over a song _all of us_ like?” 

Jackie sighed and rolled her eyes. “Really, Eric, when’s the last time I did that?” 

“Um, like three days ago, you changed my radio to ‘Dancing Queen’ right in the middle of a song I was listening to,” Donna reminded her. She had also sneaked in several new shades of lipgloss and a new brand of mascara in her drawer, which Donna had just discovered that morning. Jackie had some boundary issues. 

“Well, you were listening to really bad music, Donna. But I know how to compromise.” Jackie crossed her arms to be defiant and turned to glare at each of her friends. Hyde was the only one not giving her a look of disbelief, so she skipped over him. 

“Whatever, let’s just go,” Donna said. Eric gave Jackie a final appraising look before driving off the movie theatre. 

* * *

Jackie glared at the popcorn bucket held out to her: a large, filled with fake, orange-cheese dusted popcorn. A well was formed in the middle, carved from Kelso’s large handfuls. She shoved it away from herself and turned her focus on Michael. “You know I hate cheese popcorn, Michael!” 

“Oh, god, another lover’s quarrel,” Eric muttered sarcastically. 

Jackie ignored him. Just like Michael ignored her hatred of fake cheese popcorn. 

“C’mon, Jackie, it’s just popcorn. You can take some of Fez’s.” He gestured to Fez, who was stuffing his face messily with caramel corn while simultaneously holding large boxes of candy under his arms. 

He shook his head and stopped shoveling his popcorn. “Jackie, no, I am sorry but this is mine. Take some of Donna’s.” 

Jackie spun around to Donna, who was slouched and wore a dejected look on her face. “Really, Fez?” She stared down at her popcorn morosely--it was salt and butter--and back at Jackie. “I mean, I was planning on eating the whole thing--” 

“Damnit, you can have some of mine!” Hyde exclaimed. He had been watching the scene like a tennis match, but it was getting frustrating. “Just stop your complaining, man.” 

Jackie blushed a little over the fact that Steven had called her out for acting immature--but her pride still blocked her from outright apologizing. She figured her apology would be not eating any of Steven’s popcorn. He would probably have hated it. “Thank you, Steven,” she said, and she walked over near him. 

Hyde rolled his eyes, but he didn’t step away from her like she had expected. 

“Okay, uh, is the popcorn problem done? Because I’d really like to _not_ hear Jackie complain anymore.” Eric started towards the theatre entrance. “And the movie’s gonna start soon, so…” 

“Yeah, let’s go.” Donna joined him as they walked through the door.

She was the first to enter the seat row, and made her way to the end. Eric sat next to her, giving her a cheesy grin. “Ready for a movie, milady?” 

Donna laughed. She knew he was looking forward to making out, but she was actually interested on what was on screen. “Yeah, I actually am. I read the book and the main character is a female doctor. It’s so cool!”

Eric nodded exaggeratedly. “But what about the other--arguably more fun--thing we could be doing-” 

“Ew, Eric! No one wants to see you and Donna Frenching!” Jackie said loudly. She was sitting next to Hyde, who was beside Eric. 

“Hey, Jackie, you wanna French?” Kelso leaned his cheese powdery lips close to Jackie, but she shoved him away from her and onto Fez. He yelped. 

“You have cheese on your lips, Michael!” 

Fez whined as Kelso still lay on top of him. “Ai, Kelso, I love hugging you too, but you are crushing my Milk Duds!” He lifted two boxes of candy above his head, as if to protect them. 

“Sorry, buddy.” 

Jackie humphed loudly at this. Michael could apologize to his friend for crushing a box of candy but not to his girlfriend for being an insensitive jerk who only thought about himself?

Hyde sighed. Jackie had sat next to him--just to eat his popcorn--and her annoyingness seemed to increase tenfold around Kelso. It was like they pulled the worst, most abrasive parts out of each other. 

“Will you two just shut up?” He would try to prevent their annoyingness as much as possible. 

Jackie stuck her tongue out at him, but she otherwise stayed quiet. 

After a few seconds of snack munching and soda sipping, the lights dimmed and movie precursors made way to the opening shots of _Coma_. 

“I’m so excited,” Jackie whispered. 

“Can you be excited _quietly_?” Hyde responded, his voice hushed to a whisper too.

Jackie lightly smacked him, and her hand rested on the inside of his arm for a second too long. She glanced up at him quickly, then pulled it away into her lap. 

“Sorry,” she murmured, immediately regretting it. Had he even noticed? Was she just making the situation more awkward? Did he think she was making a move on him?

Hyde didn’t respond to Jackie; she was generally a touchy person, so the fact that she apologized must have been a reflection on him and his attitude--not that he cared if she touched him. Or what she thought. Whatever. 

* * *

The movie was almost over. Fez had finished all of his caramel popcorn and Milk Duds and was now consuming his only box of Swedish Fish; Kelso had whimpered continuously and even gasped loudly at a gunshot; Eric had moved to kiss Donna several times, who swatted his face away to keep watching the movie; and Jackie was leaning on the armrest between her and Hyde, close enough to him that they were almost touching. 

Hyde didn’t think it meant anything besides the fact that Kelso’s gangly elbows sat on both of the armrests of the chair, but he was a little glad that Jackie seemed to have calmed down about touching him. 

“Wow,” Jackie breathed. “That was a great movie, right?” 

Hyde hadn’t noticed it finished. “It was alright.” 

Jackie pushed off of the arm rest and stood up, like the rest of the gang was doing. “You’re so difficult, Steven,” she said, but without any malice in her voice. 

“Can you walk out of the row, ‘Steven?’” Donna and Eric were waiting behind Hyde, cutting off his opportunity to snipe back at Jackie.

“Whatever,” he mumbled, and the three of them caught up with Fez, Kelso, and Jackie. 

“Do you think the doctors at the hospital have ever tried to kill me?” Kelso wondered as they walked to the Vista Cruiser. 

“No, Kelso, you’re too profitable for them.” Eric patted his back as they reached the car. “How would they stay open without your annual Water Tower visits?” 

“Oh, yeah!” Kelso yelled. “I make them rich!” He laughed, but frowned after a sudden realization. “Man, I wish I was rich.” 

Donna rolled her eyes. She and the rest of the group were leaning against the car, waiting for Eric to unlock it. “C’mon, guys. Hyde said he had some ‘special stuff’ waiting for us in the basement.” 

“Oh, yeah!” Kelso yelled, even louder. He quickly jumped into the car, and Fez scrambled in behind him. Eric was still holding an empty bucket of popcorn, and awkwardly tried to escort Donna into the car, leaving Hyde and Jackie standing outside. Hyde started towards the passenger side when Jackie spoke up. 

“Did you have fun, Steven?”

He paused, his hand on the door handle. It had been a weird movie and his friends had annoyed the crap out of him. But at the same time, it hadn't been all bad. He hadn’t _not_ had fun. 

“Sure,” he answered, pretending he didn’t notice Jackie’s face light up with a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hyde calling Jackie with Kelso abrasive was intentional, and admittedly convoluted, point. Jackie and Kelso bring the worst out of each other. He lets her boss him around, so Jackie to becomes worse and unrestrained. I feel like this Jackie, the “Kelso’s girlfriend” Jackie to Hyde, is the one he finds abrasive. The first times they really interact alone, Jackie was still “Kelso’s girlfriend” to Hyde. But after their Zen lessons and her (stalkery) crush, he started to see her as her own person that he eventually likes.
> 
> And the whole point of Donna noticing stuff is that there is stuff to notice. She won’t actually say anything, but I just wanted to call attention to the fact that their behavior has noticeably changed (and it's the reason for the boring seating descriptions, sorry). Last writing note: Jackie and Kelso are in such a bad place right now because they're really just holding on to the threads of their relationship. I am not trying to villainize Kelso (he does that himself lol) or Jackie, they just aren't realizing that this isn't a working relationship. 
> 
> In case you're curious, Coma was one of the few movies released in early Jan. 1978, according to Wikipedia. I remember Jackie not being affected by the horror movie in 2x05, so I thought it was a good fit. Thanks for reading!


	6. A Midlife Crisis, Beulah?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Second to last car ride! Middle names, summer plans, and havarti cheese all on the agenda.

The worst part of Jackie’s job was the fact that she had to do _manual labor_. Putting away the ornamental cheese wheels? Exhausting. Cleaning the samples serving platter? Disgusting. But the absolute worst part was sweeping the floor. There were always little crumbs of cheese that fell off the sample platter and dirt from customer’s shoes besmirched on the linoleum flooring. Having to look at everything on the floor all piled up made Jackie feel sick. 

At least she had company; Todd was assisting her, although it was more awkward hitting on her than a helping hand. 

“Did you know havarti cheese is the lowest selling cheese at the Cheese Palace? Apparently its name scares people away. I can give some to you if you want.” Todd gave Jackie a creepy, supposed-to-be-seductive smile. “Just like I could give you a kiss, if you want.” 

“Ew, Todd,” Jackie scrunched up her nose. “I would never kiss you. And why would I want to have cheese that no one else likes? It's all because of capitalism, you know,” she said. “There's so much demand in the market that the supply for _everything_ increases because corporations try to incentivize the consumer to buy stuff since it’s there!”

Todd titled his head. “What? Where’d you hear that?” 

“Steven,” Jackie replied. He often ranted about the downfalls of capitalism and the government’s untrustworthiness during circle time. Jackie never thought much about his theories, but it was fun to watch Steven be so passionate and affected by something that she always listened. 

“I didn’t know that you were interested in economic systems, Jackie. You know, we could have a rousing discussion about the role of cheese--” 

“No, I don’t care about them,” Jackie interrupted. “Steven just talks about all that money stuff all the time when we’re…” Jackie paused. She figured it wasn’t a good idea to tell her boss about circle time. “Nevermind. But he’s really into it. Like normally, Steven is pretty quiet. He only nods or says ‘whatever’”-- Jackie tried to imitate Hyde “--and it’s hard to know what he means. But I’ve gotten better at it! Especially when he doesn’t wear those stupid sunglasses. Who wears sunglasses in winter anyway? It’s crazy. They’re not even fashionable! I mean, okay, they look _fine_ on him, but that’s because it’s Steven and not because of the glasses, you know?” Jackie stopped talking. She’d forgotten what her point was. 

Todd leaned up against his broom and eyed her. “I thought that Michael was your boyfriend?” 

Jackie gave him an odd look. “He is. Steven’s just a friend.” 

“Oh,” Todd remarked. Jackie blew off his comment. He had probably tried to come up with another way to ask her out. 

“Speaking of Steven, my shift is over and he’s here to pick me up.” Jackie laid her broom against the wall and pulled on her coat. She was glad to be leaving Todd. 

“Good-bye, Jackie!” Todd called, waving an enthusiastic farewell. 

* * *

“Hey, Steven!” Jackie chirped as she entered the car. Steven was leaning up against the door, sunglasses off. She smiled at him. “How was work?”

“Uh...” It was such an unexpectedly domestic question that Hyde was caught off guard. “Fine?” 

“Good! I’m so glad it’s the end of the day.” She gave him another happy look as Hyde started the car. 

“Alright…” She was acting weird, man. 

* * *

They sat in silence as Hyde started driving, the radio playing background noise. Jackie thought back to yesterday. Steven had gone to see a movie with her--and their friends--and offered her his popcorn, and let her sit next to him. He would deny it, but he was sweet. 

She remembered her curiosity, too, about his name. Jackie was one of the few people that was allowed to call him Steven, and she still didn’t know why. 

“Do you mind that I call you Steven?” she asked hesitantly, breaking the quiet.

“I don’t really have a choice, do I, Beulah?” Hyde teased. Jackie gave him a frustrated look. 

“Why do you always bring… _that_ up at the worst times?” she whined. He smirked at her. “And seriously, Steven, does it bother you?” 

The truth was, he didn’t mind her calling him that. People calling him “Steven” sounded stuffy. To the world, he was Hyde, and there were few exceptions. But with Jackie, calling him ‘Hyde’ would seem distant, almost. Like they didn’t really know each other. 

“I don’t know, man,” he said finally. “Not really.” 

“Really?” She perked up and sounded excited. “Why?” 

“It’d just be weird.” He shrugged a little. “I don’t know.”

Jackie nodded her head. “Yeah, I get that. Like, it’d be super weird for you to call me ‘Burkhart’ all the time.” 

Hyde snorted. “Beulah Burkhart. Man, your folks are geniuses.” 

Jackie glared at him and pinched his arm. “Hey! I bet your parents came up with an awful middle name, too!” 

Hyde gave her a little nod. “That’s true.”

“Oh, my god, what is it?” Jackie asked. She’d been joking, but now she really wanted to know.

"Why would I tell you?"

Jackie gave him a determined look, raising a brow and staring him down. 

"Whatever.” He paused. “It’s ‘J.’” 

Jackie furrowed her eyebrows. “Jay, like the bird? That doesn’t fit you.” 

“No, man, J. The letter J.” 

“The letter J?” Jackie rolled her eyes. Not even trashy “Gross Edna” would have given her son a letter of the alphabet as his middle name. “Steven, whatever burn you’re planning, I don’t want to hear it.”

“No, my ma wanted to piss my dad off--and she thought it was funny--so she gave me J as a middle name.” He shook his head, but spoke with little emotion in his voice. “She was probably drunk.” 

“Wow.” Jackie’s mouth opened slightly in shock at how awful Edna was. She couldn’t imagine ever treating her child’s name as a joke. And she especially couldn’t imagine how his mother could have treated _his_ name so flippantly. She knew Steven wouldn’t want her sympathy, though. He’d want her to treat it casually, like he was, probably to keep it distanced from himself. She closed her mouth and regained her composure. 

“Yeah,” he replied nonchalantly, further proving what Jackie thought. 

“So your name is Steven J. Hyde?” Hyde gave her a tiny nod. “That’s so professional!”

“Yeah, cuz I’m a real professional guy.” 

“Well, you could be.” Jackie suddenly gasped and clutched Hyde’s arm, even though he was driving. “Oh, Steven, you have to let me dress you! I could get you a button down shirt--” 

“No.” Hyde glared at her. 

“And a blazer, of course, probably black--”

“No!” 

“And you’d have to wear actual pants, not just jeans--” 

Hyde pulled his arm out of Jackie’s grip. “Change the conversation, Jackie.” 

“Ugh, fine.” She sat back in her seat for a few seconds, thinking. “Do you have any plans for the summer?” 

“It’s January,” he pointed out. Of course she would already be thinking about summer. “And no, what plans would I have?” 

“Hmm, I don’t know,” she hummed. “I was just thinking about how nice it would be to see Paris or London--” 

Hyde smirked. “Or Amsterdam?” 

Jackie rolled her eyes. “Yes, even Amsterdam. I just want to _do_ something this summer, you know? Like something meaningful.” 

“Jesus, Jackie,” Hyde said. “Why’re you actin’ like you’re having a midlife crisis? One minute you’re questioning my middle name and now you want to travel the world?” 

Jackie scrunched up her nose. She wasn’t like a hitchhiker! “Ew, no, that’s Donna’s thing. I’m just excited for something to happen.”

She plucked the fur on her coat. Why _did_ she want something to happen so badly? Her job was boring and a little degrading, but she needed the money. Michael was being difficult right now, but she knew she loved him and he loved her. It was probably just the gray consistency of Point Place that made her feel trapped. The same chairs, the same clouds, the same kisses, everyday. 

“I could maybe go to Chicago with Daddy this summer, but there’s nothing to do there. Well, I guess there’s shopping--I bet they have better malls than Point Place, like maybe even three levels--” 

Hyde turned the corner before asking, “If I ask you a question will you stop talking about that?” He wasn’t totally sure what he was doing. He could usually put up with Jackie’s chatter, yet the way she was acting made him curious. 

“Sure!” Jackie was too excited that Steven wanted to ask her something she didn’t even care that he cut her off. 

Hyde turned to her and made sure to speak as gently as he could. “Do you really forgive Kelso for cheating on you?” 

“Wh-what?” she stammered. She didn’t want to answer that. She didn’t want to think about it. 

Hyde had seen how Jackie acted around Kelso and noticed the way she was talking now. It seemed like she wanted change, and he wasn’t sure if it had anything to do with him. “Do you really forgive him?”

“Steven, that was such a long time ago. I barely remember it!” Jackie had forgiven him, but it was still painful to think about. Michael was like a puppy that had bitten you; you couldn’t help but forgive him, even if there was still a bite mark on you. She didn’t want Steven to know how insecure she really was though, how much power Michael’s fidelity had over her.

“Jackie, you basically cried on me for three days straight,” Hyde sighed. “You remember it.” He made eye contact, making sure she could tell he wasn’t trying to hurt her. “Look, man, it’s just the way you’ve been acting. At the movie, and you’re all restless now.” 

Jackie pushed her bottom lip up into a resigned smile. “Thank you for caring, Steven,” she said, putting her hand on his arm. 

Hyde opened his mouth, probably to tell her how it wasn’t caring but just making sure she wouldn’t come crying to him again, so she cut him off. 

“But Michael is done hurting me. I’ve forgiven him. Although, if he ever does anything like what he did with that skank Laurie again, he’ll be so sorry he’ll wish he wasn’t even born.” 

Hyde thought it wasn’t a good idea to point out that Laurie wasn’t the first time he’d cheated, and he kept quiet. If Jackie truly was unhappy with Kelso, she would have ended it a long time ago. “Alright,” he said, accepting her answer. 

Jackie squeezed his arm once, then let go. They went back to silence, but it was more suffocating than comfortable for Jackie. She didn’t want the silence. It led to thoughts and fears and insecurities all surrounding her fragile relationship with Michael. She needed noise. 

“Steven, can I ask you another question? We’re almost there, it’ll be quick.” 

Hyde gave her a small nod. 

Jackie couldn’t think of anything to ask, so she blurted out the first thought to pop into her head. “What do you think about havarti cheese?” 

Hyde raised a brow and looked over at her. “I think it’s stupidly named. Why?” 

Jackie grinned, glad to spark up a conversation. And Hyde was sorta glad to see her smile--it just meant his question hadn’t made her sad. 

“Oh, just curious. Todd and I were talking about how there’s always so much extra cheese, and it’s usually havarti.” She shifted her position in her seat, leaning into the back of the seat and subsequently a little closer to Hyde.”I was wondering if I should ask him to name a cheese after me--because he definitely would!--except I don’t think I _want_ a cheese named after me. That’s for fat girls, not pretty ones like me!” 

Hyde shook his head, but said nothing and let her continue to talk. The Forman’s house came into view, where they could see Kitty cooking in the kitchen and Red reading the newspaper at the table through the sliding glass door. 

He parked the car and unlocked his door, but Jackie put a hand on his arm, again, to stop him. 

“You know, Steven,” she started. “Tomorrow is the last day you have to drive me home from work.”

“Ah, sweet release,” he joked. Honestly, he hadn’t realized. They’d started to get into a routine, one that Hyde didn’t hate. It wasn’t that bad sitting in the car with someone, and it wasn’t that bad having to listen to The Beatles over The Rolling Stones, and it really wasn’t that bad talking to Jackie. He’d gotten used to the noise. He felt the quiet would be too… lonely. 

“Steven,” she chided. “I just wanted to thank you. You didn’t have to do this.”

Hyde smiled a little at Jackie. He found himself doing that around her a lot more often. “You’re welcome, Beulah.” 

Jackie scoffed and lightly slapped his arm. “Way to ruin a moment, Steven!” 

He laughed and stepped out of the car. He liked messing with Jackie. 

“Ugh, let’s go,” Jackie called, jumping out of the car too. “And if you call me that again, I will kick you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I know that sweeping the floor is not manual labor but I feel like Jackie might consider it that haha. I hope you guys found her repeating Hyde’s conspiracy theory humorous. I tried to keep it as in character as possible, which was a little tricky. My intent for this chapter was to have Jackie act like you do when you have a small crush-- which I kinda think she does :) Also, obviously, you can be fat and pretty. That's just how I feel Jackie would talk. 
> 
> And another Kelso-Jackie analysis that no one asks for: I think Jackie forgave Kelso but she would probably be insecure because he cheated so much (making it seem like she wasn’t enough) and always a little suspicious/ apprehensive. I sound like a broken record, but it shows another problem in their relationship.
> 
> This was a crazy week, and I ended up doing the bulk of it yesterday afternoon (yay election results!) so I hope it was enjoyable. Thanks for reading!


	7. Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last car ride!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! It’s the end everyone. Thank you all so much for reading! This chapter is shorter than some of the other ones because it was hard to write but I hope it’s okay. Enjoy!

Jackie pulled open the car door slowly, letting cold air breeze in. Today was the last day Steven was going to drive her home from work. She'd had fun this past week, teasing him and listening to music they both liked but didn't love. Now it was over. 

"C'mon, Jackie," Hyde called from inside the car. 

She gave him a pout as she slid into the seat. "Steven, aren't you a little bit sad? Today is the last day you get to drive me home from work." 

"Jackie, we’re still going to see each other everyday." He started the car and backed out of the mall parking lot. 

"I know, but won’t you miss spending time with me?"

"Uh…" Hyde muttered, teasingly. Truthfully, he was getting used to spending time with Jackie in a car. It was a strange feeling, having Jackie as company, but he didn't hate it. That didn't mean he would tell her, though. 

"Ugh, fine, just put on some music!" Jackie said, flipping her hand in the direction of the radio knobs. 

Hyde raised his eyebrow and turned it to Led Zeppelin, just to mess with her. 

She tried to glare, but she laughed after a second. It was such a Steven thing to do, and she figured he would miss these few minutes in the car just as much as she would. 

"What’s so funny?"

Jackie shook her head. "It’s just-- that’s so you." 

"Man, you’re crazy." 

"Oh, shut up," Jackie said playfully. 

* * *

The car was silent, a comfortable silence. It gave Jackie time to think. And it really was nice of Steven to have driven her. “You know Steven, you’re a good guy,” she told him. 

“No, I’m not.” 

“Sure you are! Don’t you remember you took me to prom because Michael was being an idiot, and you taught me to be zen,” Jackie curved her hand into a wave, “and you’re driving me home from work.” She gave him a small smile. 

“You forced me,” Hyde retorted, even though that wasn’t true. 

Jackie rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Steven. Now give me a compliment,” she said snappily. 

“What?” 

“Well, I told you you’re a good guy, so tell me something. It could be about my shiny hair, or my dazzling smile, or my effervescent personality,” she prattled, hands waving in the air.

“No.” Hyde said gruffly. 

“Steven,” Jackie whined, her smile turned into a pout.

“Alright, fine!” Hyde said, just to shut her up. “Uh, you know the word ‘effervescent’?” 

Jackie glared at him. “A real one Steven, not a mean one.” 

Hyde was going to point out that most of her compliments were backhanded anyway, but he figured she wasn’t beyond a sharp pinch to his arm so he kept his mouth closed. 

But a compliment to Jackie… what could he say? Nothing physical-- that would make things too weird between them, if it wasn’t phrased as a joke. And he didn’t want to do anything about her personality-- that was too personal, intimate for them. What was left? 

“Okay,” he said after a moment’s thought. “You’re alright, man.” 

Jackie frowned, looking at him incredulously. “That’s it? I’m more than ‘alright,’ Steven, I’m wonderful. I want a real, genuine compliment.” 

Hyde rolled his eyes. “Yeah, you seem to be giving yourself plenty.” 

“Well, I know my incredible beauty!” Jackie retorted. 

Hyde sighed again. “Okay, uh…” he paused. “You aren’t terrible to be around,” he muttered finally. “Normally.” 

“Oh, Steven,” Jackie cooed. “That was so sweet!” She leaned across the bench seat to hug Hyde’s right arm tightly.

It was uncomfortable-- but more so because of the angle than because it was Jackie clutching onto his arm. 

“Alright,” he said, uncomfortable after a few seconds. “Jackie.” 

“Yeah,” she said hopefully. What was she hopeful for?

“Get off my arm.” 

Jackie sighed and let go. “Can we change the radio?” she asked, reaching over and changing it anyway. 

* * *

Hyde tapped his fingers gently on the steering wheel, waiting for the car in front to turn. Jackie had changed the radio to Donna's show, which she was only half listening to-- he could tell by the way she was playing with her fingers. 

“When do you think Donna and Eric are going to get back together?” she asked, turning to him. 

Hyde shook his head. “I don’t know, but it’s bugging the crap out of me.” 

“Yeah, I agree. I mean, we all know they still love each other. Why can’t they just get it over with?” 

Hyde snorted, glancing over at Jackie. “I thought you were one for romance. Isn’t ‘unrequited love’ or some shit right up your alley?” 

Jackie sighed, now looking out the window. “I am a romantic, Steven, and unrequited love can be beautiful, but they’re not unrequited love. They’re the classic couple, you know?”

Her voice softened. “True unrequited love is between two people who are too afraid to say it, but not because one of them is a dumbass. It’s because one of them is scared or afraid, or it’s too risky.”

Hyde thought that love was bullshit; why spend your time waiting to get hurt, when you could just live your life happy enough, unattached and unharmed? Love never lasted--Forman and Donna were proof of that. 

But Jackie seemed so in love with love, it was crazy. Even if she didn’t love someone, she’d love the idea of loving them. _Huh_ , he thought, staring at her. _Maybe that’s what happened with Kelso_. 

Jackie looked up again, catching his gaze. “What?” 

“Nothing.” He turned back to the road. 

“Were you admiring my beauty, Steven?” 

“No.” Jackie was upset at how truthful he sounded. 

She gasped loudly. "Were you finally going to tell me that we're friends?" 

"What? No." Hyde remembered a few days ago, when Jackie had insisted that they were friends. She knew they were friends, he knew they were friends, why did he have to verbalize it?

"It would make me really happy, Steven," she said, her voice demanding. 

Hyde raised a brow. "So?" 

Jackie rolled her eyes and slumped down in her seat--but not to far, or else it was bad for your posture. "Ugh, Steven." 

Hyde smiled at that. 

* * *

The car slowly pulled up to the curb, sloshing over the muddy slush from last night's snow. A frisky wind blew the leaf-less twigs of trees in the air, making a faint clacking sound. Hyde didn't want to get out of the car yet-- but not just because of the bleak weather. He felt he owed it to Jackie to tell her something. 

“Hey, Jackie, hold on a sec,” Hyde said, stopping her as she unbuckled her seatbelt. He was mentally kicking himself for how much of a wuss he was going to sound like, but he continued on anyway. “Just… we’re friends.” 

Jackie smiled up at him. Not a proud smile, or a fake smile, or an excited-about-manipulating-someone-to-drive-her-home-from-work smile. It was a genuine, happy smile. “Yeah, Steven. We are friends.” 

She finished unbuckling her seatbelt and grabbed Hyde’s hand tightly. “C’mon, friend, let’s go to the basement.” She yanked him with her, with surprising strength, as she got out of the car. 

“Jackie,” he said warningly as he stepped out, too. “You can’t just go around calling me your friend. That’s for you to know and me to regret you knowing.” 

Jackie smiled again-- this time more along the lines of a manipulation smile. “Steven, this is one of the many cases where you say something and I’m going to ignore it because I know I’m right.” 

Hyde sighed. “That’s not--” 

“Friends listen to each other, Steven,” Jackie said and walked towards the basement, still pulling Hyde along by his hand. “And you’ve just subjected yourself to the best friend you could ever listen to.” 

“Crap,” Hyde muttered, trying to hide a small smile that was growing on his face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> … and that’s it! I might rewrite this chapter, but if I don't, this is the end! I didn’t think I’d be so attached to them, but I really am. 
> 
> THANK YOU so much for reading or commenting or leaving a kudos. This is the best community to be in because everyone has such great imaginations and are so supportive (plus we all missed out on JH content so there is a receptive audience). Good bye, Ramble On!


End file.
